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Egypt's Zohr Field Starts Gas Output at 10 mcm/d

Egypt's super-giant Zohr Gas Field started pumping on Saturday, bringing the country closer to achieving its goal of self-sufficiency in the supply of liquefied natural gas.

The start of production has been eagerly awaited since Zohr was discovered by the Italian energy giant Eni in 2015, making Egypt the owner of the largest gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, Bloomberg reported.

In a statement on Saturday, Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla said gas was now being pumped from Zohr to Port Said's new land station at El-Gameel, where it is being treated and transferred to the national natural-gas network.

He described Saturday’s record and unprecedented pumping as a milestone in the history of international gas production generally and Egyptian gas production in particular.

El-Molla said the gas field is set to produce an initial 10 million cubic meters per day. He added that once the first stage of the project is completed in June 2018, production will increase to 28 mcm, meaning Egypt would have achieved self-sufficiency in LNG supply.

"The second stage is due to be finalized by the end of 2019," he said, with production reaching 76 mcm.

Last week, El-Molla said Egypt aims to achieve self-sufficiency in LNG supply before the end of 2018.

Egypt was a net exporter of LNG until 2014. However, it became a net importer in recent years due to a declining output and power shortages amid political turmoil.

In October, El-Molla announced that $27.3 million would be invested in three Egyptian natural gas fields—Zohr, North Alexandria, and Nooros—during 2018. The three gas fields are expected to raise Egypt's natural gas output by 50% in 2018 and 100% in 2020, according to the ministry.